Pneumatic mattress



Feb. 4, 1947. M. R. STEIN 2,415,150

PNEUMATIC MATTRESS Filed June 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOT- manna.RUSSELL swam M'fwney \iiil.

Feb. 4, 1947. M. R. STEIN 2,4l,150

PNEUMATIC MATTRESS Filed June a, 1945 SSheets-Sheet 2 16 INVENTOR. I

,"KIRAEL RUSSELL STE-N KW eb. 4, 1947. M, R, STEIN 2,415,150

PNEUIIATIO IA'ITRESS Filed June a, 1945 a Sheets-Sheet BY MICHAELRUSSELLSTEJN A'H-orne Patented Feb. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPNEUMATIC mmass Michael Russell Stein, New York, N. Y.

Application June a, 1945, Serial No. 598,259

1 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to pneumatic upholstery such asmattresses, cushions and the like and more particularly to theconstruction of an inflatable cellular core adapted to serve thefoundation for such upholstery.

Among the principal objects of the present invention is to providearesilient and comfortable construction of pneumatic mattress and thelike which is characterized by the fact that it is made up of a numberof individual cellular unitsadapted to be conveniently assembled toprovide a mattress or cushion of any desired size and shape.

A further object is to construct the pneumatic cells out of a sheetmaterial formed oi! a vinyl resin or other such plastic which, whilesuinciently pliable for its intended, purpose, is not so stretchable asto require the use or excessive air pressures tomaintain the cellsagainst collapse under the weight of the person resting on the mattress.Further, inasmuch as such material is immune to fluids, .is resistant tofungi, mold and acid and is not subject to rot at high temperatures, themattress of the present invention when constructed of such plasticmaterial is ideally suitable for use in hospitals and infant cribs aswell as in tropical countries.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cellularconstruction 01 mattress and the like wherein the various cells thereofmay be filled with air at different pressures to produce zones or areasof differing degrees of hardness in the same mattress, thereby adaptingthe same for the correction of postural irregularities and for inwillappear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the saidinvention consists subctantially in the combination, construction,location and relative arrangement of parts, as described more fullyhereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finallypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain preferredembodiments of the present inventi n- Figure l is a perspective view ofa pneumatic mattress constructed in accordance with and emyins theprinciples of the said invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing in full line a single bed mattress andin dotted lines an additional section to make up a three-quarter sizemattress;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1;'

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view or a pair adjoining cellular unitsas employed in the construction of Figure l; a

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one form of cellular unit;

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing in separated relation thecomponent parts of a cellular unit: I

-Figure 8 is a detail rspective view of a preferred means for securingtogether adjacent cellular units of the mattress;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of an end cellular unit such as maybe'employed in the construction of mattress shown in Figure 1' Figure 10is a top plan view of an end cellular unit such as may be employed inthe construction o! the three-quarter size mattress shown in Figure 2;

Figures 11 and 12 are sectional views showing difierent means forsecuring the cellular units to a bottom posture board;

on the line Figure 13 is a perspective view of still another form ofpneumatic-mattress constructed in accordance with and embodying theprinciples of the present invention;

Figure 14 is a partial perspective view of 9. flexible cellularcompartment for receiving a plurale In the construction of the pneumaticmattress of the present invention, the'inflatable cellular units thereofare constructed of a non-stretching but flexible sheet material which isimpervious to the passage of air therethroughsuch Inaterlal preferablybeing a vinyl resin or other such plastic variously knownin the trade as"Vinylite."

' single bed size of mattress.

. -3 Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 to13 thereof, it will be observed that in one preferred construction ofthe mattress of the present invention, it is constructed of a pluralityofcellular units l each of generally rectangular shape and adapted to beassembled to form a single, three-quarter or double size mattress asdesired. Figure 1 illustrates the single size mattress, while Figure 2illustrates the manner of increasing the same to three-quarter or doublesize by the addition of one or more additional rows of units such as areshown in dotted lines.

Each of the cellular-units i0 is essentially composed of two principalparts, namely, a lower base member ll formed of rigid or semi-rigidplastic material of the character hereinbefore referred to, and an upperchamber-forming member i2 formed of a flexibl sheet of the same plasticmaterial. The base member ii of the cell is preferably molded into shapeto provide it with a marginal upstanding flange l3 which is adapted tobe perimetrally embraced by the lowerfree edge of the upper member, theoverlapping portions of the members ii and 12 being eewhich includes aline of spaced lacing holes 26.

These flap elements 25 are secured to the upper edge portions of thecells in any suitable manner, as by cementing or electronic heating andextend laterally of the cell to an extent suflicient to permit the flapelements of adjoinin merited or otherwise secured together to provide anair-tight Joint therebetween. An effective airtight seal between theparts is obtained by subjecting the lapped parts to electronic heatingand so effecting an integral bond therebetween, the vinyl resin or othersuch plastic of which the members ii and 12 are formed being adapted tosuch'bonding under the application of heat and pressure.

Molded centrally in the base member ii is'an inverted cup-shaped element[4 to provide a recessed chamber disposed above the plane of the bottomsurface of the base member, this chamber housing therein an air valvel5. Preferably, the air valve body is permanently set into the bottomwall of the recessas shown (see Figure 5) during the process of moldingthebase member l2.

As many of the pneumatic cells i2 are assembled together as arenecessary to form the desired shape and size of the mattress. Thus, asshown in Figure l, sixteen-of such cells are as sembled in two rows ofeight each to produce a By adding an additional row, as represented bythe dotted lines of Figure 2, a larger size mattress may be obtained.

- In order to secure the cells together in'their assembledrelatiomtheymay be supported upon a foundation or posture board H5, in which eventthe individual cells are provided in their base for reception ofthreaded bolts i8 projecting upwardly through the foundation or postureboard It. These sockets il may be variously formed as illustrated inFigures 11' and 12. In the arrange ment of Figure 11, the socket'is inthe form of a tubular metal insert i9 which is set into the base memberii of the cell during the molding thereof, the insertlfi-having anenlarged head 2i) embedded in the base member and an internally threadedshank 2i projecting outwardly of the base member for reception within anaperture 22 provided therefore in the posture board.

members It with internally threaded sockets il In the arrangement asillustrated in Figure 12,

the internally threaded shank 23 which projects outwardly of the basemember ii of the cell is formed as an integral part of said base member;In either case, it is preferable to provide each pneumatic cell with apair 0 such securing elements respectively I I either side of the cellsto be disposed in overlapped relation, as

shown in Figure 8, with the lacing holes of the overlapped flaps inregistry with each other. A

lacing cord 21, also formed of vinyl resin or the comers of the mattressare provided with flaps along only their two inner edges, as illustratedin .Figure 9, while the remaining. cells are each additionally providedwith a flap such as that shown in broken line in said Figure 9, toprovide a cell of the appearance shown in Figure 6. In the case of athree row assembly of the cells, as in Figure 2, the intermediate cellsof the central row require lacing flaps on all four sides thereof (seeFigure 7), while the endmost cells of said row require onlythree flapsas shown in Figure 10.

It will be understood, therefore, that the individual cells may beprovided with as many lacingflaps as are necessary depending upon thelocation of the cell with relation to others in the assembly, and thatit is within the scope and spirit of the present invention to provideeach cell with flaps along all marginal edgesthereof, as shown in Figure'l,'so as to standardize their construction and permit their dispositionat any point in the assembly. In such latter case, those flaps which areunnecessary to be used in lacing together the cellsmay beleft fre tofold over the outer edge of the cell, as shown in dotted lines in Figure5. v

In Figures 13 to 17 inclusive are shown modificatiomsv of theconstructions hereinbefore described without involving any, departurefrom the general principles of the present invention. Thus, Figures 15and 16 illustrate a cell construction of cylindrical rather thanrectangular form, the cylindrical unit 38 being" constructed of twomainparts, to wit, the relatively rigid or semi-rigid base member 3! and theflexible upper member 32, the base member being provided with apcripheral flange 33* which snugly fits within and thereof so as .torender it freely disposed above the bottom plane of the unit.

The cylindrical air cells 30 are adapted to be disposed within aflexible container 34 in the form of an open-topped box-like structure,this structure being divided into a plurality of separate compartments86 by means of the longitudinally and transversely extending partitionwalls 31. The structure 34 is formed of the vinyl resin or other suchflexible plastic material, the depth of the compartments 36 beingapproximately equal to the overall depth of the air cell units disposedtherein, these latter being retained in position against displacement bymeans of a top cover member 38 having a marginal flange 39 whichembraces and is adapted to be cemented or otherwise united or bonded tothe marginal side walls of the compartmentedsupporting structure for theair cells. Inasmuch as the members 34 and 38 are formed of flexiblematerial, it will be apparent that the construction of mattress as shownin Figures 13 and .17 will provide an exceedingly comfortable cushionedsupport for the body of a person resting thereon. By varying the airpressure in the several cells of the mattress so constructed, localizedareas of varying degrees of hardness may be obtained to secure themaximum degree of comfort and correct support for the recliner. Figure13 illustrates a construction of mattress intended for single beddesign, while Figure 17 illustrates a larger construction, as for athree-quarter or double size bed.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention issusceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made fromtime to time without departing from the real spirit or generalprinciples thereof, and it is accordingly intended to claim the samebroadly,- as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. A pneumatic mattress or the like comprising a plurality of inflatablecells each formed of a flexible hollow body and a relatively rigid basemember fitted in and secured to one end of the hollow body to provide aclosed air chamber,

valve means in said base member for inflating the cell and means fordetachably securing together a group of said cells arranged in aplurality of rows of several cells each. i

2. A pneumatic mattress of the character defined in claim 1 wherein saidcells are respectively provided with perforated flap elements extendingalong the top edges thereof, and wherein overlapping flap elements ofcontiguous cells are secured'together by an interlacing cord threadedthrough the registering apertures of said overlapping flap elements.

3. A pneumatic mattress or the like comprising a plurality of inflatablecells each formed of a flexible hollow body and a relatively rigid basemember fitted in and secured to one end of the hollow body to provide aclosed air chamber, valve means in said base member of each cell forinflating the same, a rigid support underlying a group of said cellsarranged in a plurality of 2 rows of several cells each, and means inthe base members of said cells for individually anchoring the same tosaid support.

- MICHAEL RUSSELL STEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references .are of record in theflle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

